Photosynthesis
by mamabot
Summary: Hunk and Pidge are young adults. Just as sunlight compliments and is vital to plants, the engineer and the computer tech are to each other: Mates. Likewise Shiro and Allura lean on each other. In addition, enemies will become allies against a common foe. Friends to lovers, marriage, children, character death.
1. Chapter 1

Hunk Pidge  
Shiro Allura

Prolog:  
The night of Shiro's return, Allura can't sleep. She is pacing outside his room trying to decide if she should knock on his door or just suppress her racing thoughts and just return to what they were before. As light as her normally graceful steps maybe, Shiro hears them.  
Or maybe it's his own pacing on the other side of the door that causes him to move, opening the door.  
Allura hears the door, and freezes in her step, but doesn't turn to look at him right away. He waits in the doorway, also trying to decide on his next step.  
"Allura"- "Shiro" they both say at the same time, making them both smile and then turn to face each other.  
"I missed you," she weakly admits.  
He takes three steps towards her. "I was worried about you worrying about me," with a rub to the back of his neck. "And left to take care of the others who are crazed with their own worry." He steps even closer laying both hands on her shoulders, "Too much for you to bear…alone."  
While he was captured, he worried for her worry about him… it moves her already tender emotions even further. She steps closer to him, slipping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He cups one hand, threading his fingers through her loose hair, keeping her pressed to his chest as the other arm secures around her shoulders. This encourages her to grasp more securely.  
"I missed you, too," he breathes into the top of her head, she chokes on a sniffle, to which he nuzzles. "I love the way your hair smells."  
She's giggles through another sniffle, nuzzling his chest too. "I have always felt safest being vulnerable with you."  
A soft croon of her name causes her to look up to him, but it's the thumb grazing her chin that gives her the strength to be even more vulnerable and say his name in a way that just melts him completely.  
"I've wanted to hold you for so long," he whispers leaning in.  
"I've wanted to be held by you," she stretches up to make it easier for him to kiss her.  
A sweet first kiss leads to a respectful romantic cuddle on her couch before a starlit window.

In a matter of months, Allura and Shiro are having a private conversation with Coran about how to handle their decision to wed. Should it be public to let their allies join in the festivities or will that be a set up for their enemies to attack? Will making it a private ceremony be wise? Should their marriage bond remain a secret as not to use one mate against the other as a pawn in these galactic wars? What if it was public ceremony and some could not attend, would others take it as a political statement and cause more strife in this already turbulent times?  
Then of course is, what rites are to be part of the ceremony, if there was to be one at all?  
They all hang their heads in despair. There just doesn't seem to be a right answer, just more questions.

To take a break from it, Shiro heads to the lounge where he finds Pidge curled up next to Hunk as they scroll through images on a lap top. He sinks down on Hunk's other side.  
"What are you looking at?"  
Hunk turns the computer so all three can look, and he points to a Samoan tattoo of a sea turtle. "I had planned to get my first tattoo after I turned eighteen, which I hoped would be soon after graduating. But we got kind of waylaid here."  
Pidge smiles pointing to another image. This one not Samoan, but is of a lion. "I'm helping him decide on something that is traditional and yet with a Hunk-ness to it. Likewise, I think I might want one too, when the time comes."  
Shiro can't help but laugh lightly. "Pidge, do you know how much a traditional Samoan tattoo hurts? Besides, have you got any meat on your bones to hold an image?"  
That earns him a scowl, and then Pidge pulls off her over shirt revealing the tank top and the muscles that have become more defined over the months. She points to her left shoulder. "I think I have enough meat right here for a paw print, what do you think?"  
Shiro blinks. This is not the girl who was so lost and only focused on finding her brother and father when they first met.

Before him now is very much a woman of confidence and skill. Not only is she more mature in ways of the universe, science, and being a warrior, but he can't help but notice she has matured physically, too.  
By the stall in Hunk's breathing, he has noticed it too. His cheeks might be blazing red, but he is trying not to be rude in admiring Pidge's clearly womanly body. "Uhhh, yeah sure."  
Pidge gives an odd side glance to Hunk, then back to Shiro for understanding.  
Shiro smirks, "Pidge, you are right. You have got more muscles there than you did when we first met. But be sure what you choose, because it's permanent."  
She glances back up to Hunk with a blush of her own understanding now that Hunk is trying to be a gentleman, but is clearly admiring her physique. Shyly she looks into those chocolate brown eyes. "I trust Hunk to help me."  
This jerks the engineer's eyes to blink seeing her in a whole new light. "Huh?"  
She leans in a little closer, "Hunk, we've been through a lot, and worked on so many projects together, that I feel you are more than just a teammate to me."  
He gulps, and his face falls softly. "yeahhh…. I know what you mean."

Shiro smiles. It's good to know he's not the only one who has found love. One of the things he has worried about for these two youngest of this group, is weather being warriors (Paladins) at such a young age would jade them from ever wanting to live a normal life. It would kill him if being dragged into a war, he has managed to move forward with marriage (and possibly a family) while the others will not take the risk with their hearts.

He rises up from the couch and heads back to Allura leaving the teens to explore this new aspect of their friendship together. He sneaks up behind his future wife, and wraps his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck. "I do not want to hide our marriage bond, but I also do not want to put others a risk for helping us celebrate our union."  
She turns in his arms linking her wrists around his neck. "What else are you thinking, my love?"  
He leans in pressing his forehead to hers. "In the mist and strife of turmoil, we can not stop living our lives. As mentors and leaders, others look up to us to set an example. And it was actually Pidge and Hunk that helped me with an idea."  
Allura beams, "Pidge and Hunk! I knew she carried a torch for him-"  
"And I knew he admired her for more than just her brains," he smirks. "But that genius of a woman gave me a brilliant idea."  
"Do tell, do tell," she rubs their noses together making him giggle.  
"Only our Paladins here for the actual ceremony, but we can broadcast it far and near."  
"Anything in particular you want said or done during this ceremony?"  
He plucks her lips and then lifts her left hand to his lips. "Traditionally, in my heritage, the couple exchange rings, rarely ever taking them off ever again. Something I can glance down at during my times of woe, and remember you are always with me."  
She rubs his own left hand to match his movements. "You really need a symbol of jewelry to remember I have give my heart to you?" With a little smile.  
He rubs her finger again, "Jewelry, no. Symbol, yes. For in my culture it is also an outward notice to others, that I am happily spoken for."  
She takes off her tiara and sets it on his head. "Normally I would give this to you, but I know it will interfere with your helmet. Besides, you don't look like the head adornment type," fluffing his white tuft.  
He chuckles with a light shake of his head settling it better. "Oh I don't know, I could probably pull this off!"  
It makes her laugh heartily. "Father would love you."  
His hands squeeze hers, "Could his hologram be here?" Allura's eyes water and all she can do is nod. "Good," he pulls her into a snug embrace.

Within the week, their marriage ceremony is broadcast far and wide.  
It even reaches Prince Lotor's private quarters. "Good for you, Princess. Do not let our parents' fight destroy our own private lives. I won't." He raises a goblet to the happy couple, and downs it with a vow of his own.

*************  
Within the year, Prince Arthur is born to Shiro and Allura. Of course Shiro tells the young prices stories of Camelot and King Arthur as well as his Knights of the Round table. But some how in this version, they ride off on lions, not horses.  
Allura is amused greatly at his story telling skills. Arthur squeals with delight as his father uses a roll of paper as a sword and her tiara as a King's crown to heighten his drama.  
Shiro is a wonderful loving and playful father. He takes his duty as father and husband as seriously as he does as mentor to the Paladins. Guiding and protective but also knowing when to just let loose and have a blast.  
Shiro takes Allura's place as the Blue Paladin during Arthur's younger years, and just as she was ready to take the roll back, she found out another heir is on the way. It both amuses and frustrates her.  
"A blessing and a curse all at the same time," she rolls her eyes and pounds her head into her husband's chest.  
He really is trying to be sympathetic, but can't help the snigger that escapes. "I'm so sorry, my dear. I will keep your seat warm in Blue for you?"  
She pounds him lightly into the small of his back. "Next time, you get to be the sea horse."  
He throws his head back laughing heartily, "If you have a way, I would gladly do it."  
She looks up to him searching his face for sincerity, and there it is. "You really would, wouldn't you?"  
He cups her cheek holding it like an amazing treasure. "Allura, I know you would never put our child at risk nor your people. If I could take on one of your roles so that you could do the other more easily, I would in an instant."  
She stretches up on her toes pulling him into a deep and passionate kiss. "Let's go for twins this time."

Hunk and Pidge find themselves entertaining Arthur for the rest of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

{Thanks go to Jason Mamoa. While he worked on SG-Atlantis, during an interview he talked about traditional Samoan tattoo applications.)

Lava lava/ sarong  
Batik: print

Just as Hunk's eighteenth birthday is approaching, the team is about to kill each other. They could all use a break. This is also about the time that Shiro and Allura were needing a honeymoon (during Arthur's gestation).  
Pidge approaches Shiro in the kitchen as both are searching for midnight snacks.

"Hey, Pidge, couldn't sleep either?" He holds out something that looks like yogurt. She takes it with a deep sigh, handing him a spoon in return.  
"Yeah. Lance is driving me up the wall. He just seems more irritating than normal and I can't get far enough away from him. He's not taking 'shut up' as a hint either."  
Shiro pulls out a chair for her and plunks down in his own propping his feet to another. "What has he done this time?"  
"He decided it would be funny to hide my stylus in Hunk's bed and then tell Keith he found it there, with leading implications." She jams the spoon into the container. "Look, not all of us are constantly horny and it has nothing to do with me being a GIRL verse a MAN!"

Shiro has to dip into his yogurt rather quickly. Allura has been quite feral whenever he returns to their quarters, and he is not complaining one bit! Probably why their child was conceived so quickly after they finally had a chance, but on the other side, he does not even want to imagine Pidge as wanton as his wife.  
He's not an idiot in believing Pidge (Matt's sister) is a 'little girl' who will never want an intimate relationship, he just knows that she is wiser than Lance. In many ways, far far more mature than him! When the time is right, she will be ready, and should not be teased for being respectfully chaste until then.

"How did Hunk take it?" He weighs the implications of further problems.  
"Hunk is steering clear of me whenever the others are around. I over heard Keith mercilessly teasing Hunk about either 'getting me into bed' or putting him down for NOT being able to 'bed me'. They are both assholes! " cramming a huge scoop into her mouth.  
Once it is down the throat she looks up to Shiro with a plead. "Hunk and I have some very serious work we need to get done, and if he can't handle being around me it's going to take a really long time." She takes a breath and looks back up to him. "You and Allura seem to still get things done and I don't see you getting pestered when you give her a kiss or a hug. Even when she snuggles up to you during down time, they leave you alone. Why are we being tortured?"  
"Because they are assholes who know if they tried that crap with either Allura or me, we would knock them both out."  
"Can I hit them?" and she is serious.  
Shiro gives a shrug and a smug grin. Not a verbal approval, but not an outright no either. Instead he pokes her with his spoon, "Think you can? No computer tricks though and no cheep shots."  
"I don't approve of groin shots anyways. Even as a girl, it hurts."  
He has to agree to that. It may not be the same kind of pain, but if being married has taught him anything about female sensitivity…. "Put them in their place Pidge, and tell Hunk I said so."  
That drops her smile into a frown again. "Could you?" He leans in for her to further explain. "Hunk is a gentleman, that's one of the things I find so attractive about him. And Shiro, I know you are, too. From one gentleman to another, could you let him know, it's okay to take it at his own pace, not theirs."  
Shiro takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. "Pidge, I always liked being a mentor to you all. After I found out your relationship to Matt, I knew I had to be surrogate big brother to you." It's his cheeks that flush a little this time, "I like having a younger sister I can help guide through matters of the heart. And I can't think of a better man to date my sister than Hunk."  
She leaps (spoon cup and all) wrapping her arm desperately around his shoulders. "The past few weeks have been hell. Not just the teasing, but losing my closest friend."  
"Hunk's a bit of an idiot for letting those two dopes ruin a good friendship," he clutches her just as tight. It feels good to have her laugh a little even though there are tears dripping into his shoulder. "And you can tell the big lug I said that."  
"I will, I promise," she sniffs a laugh.

They hug for just a bit longer, both of them needing it. The sound of another door opening and shuffle of feet coming their way, makes them release and finish their snacks.  
Hunk bumbles in, half awake. One eye open, the other blinking. "Shiro? Pidge?"  
"Hey, Hunk," Shiro rises and takes his empty bowl away, grabbing another to take back to Allura. He passes him with a pat to the shoulder. Now is not the time to have a heavy conversation, for Hunk may not remember it anyways. "Night, Hunk."  
Hunk rummages around in the 'fridge for a bit, returning with cheese and fruit. He sits a couple chairs down from Pidge. Not too far away to avoid her, but certainly not close like they used to be.  
Pidge moves down to the chair beside him, and takes one of his carrot like sticks. "I think the problem with Blue's claw not retracting could be a bad contact. The programming looks fine. I can't get the servo pin to move though."  
"There's four locking pins keeping it in place." He doesn't look up.  
"Oh, I only removed one. Where are the others?"  
He gives a sigh, "I'll help you…once I'm awake."  
Pidge lays a hand over his palmed to his knee. He splays his fingers so hers can sink between his thicker ones, and then they curl them together.  
He still may not look up to her, she may not say anything more, but she does lean her head to his beefy shoulder.  
After a bit, he notices she seems heavier than normal and looks down. Pidge has fallen back to sleep leaning against him and holding his hand. His heart melts and kisses her forehead. "I'm so sorry."

~8~  
Sure enough, later that day, Pidge and Hunk have Blue in a den with Yellow. He's showing her how the assembly works.  
She smirks, "As fascinating as this is, I still don't have the strength to pull all those pins. Little help?"  
He chuckles and then reaches in between the claws.

"Well well well, whatever do we have here? Playing 'mechanic'?" Lance smirks sliding into the den (soft growl from Yellow).  
Hunk backs out and picks up his biggest wrench bouncing it on a hefty palm. Pidge on the other hand just ignores him going back to pick up a brass bristled brush to clean the contact points. Lance wanders over plucking at some of the tools in Hunk's kit. "Sure you have the right tool in the box…Hunk?"  
Pidge shoots Hunk a look not to fall for the game, even if his cheeks are heating up to the impotent insinuation and his hands are clutching tighter. Lance just keeps going, and Hunk starts moving the wrench further.  
Pidge turns around and sits watching the way Hunk is moving the wrench. He isn't swinging it in a typical threatening move Lance would recognize. No, this is something she saw while researching Samoan culture. He's swinging it like one might in a fire dance.

"Ohhh, look at the cute little color guard trick like a little girl in a parade with her baton of streamers."  
Keeping up with the moves of a dance, Hunk plunges each end of the wrench into a bucket of goop. Then with a crack of flint against steel, the goop is ablaze.  
"How do you like those streamers, Lance?" Pidge cheers from the safety of powerful paws.

Lance can only blink. Hunk is completely focused on spinning the heavy flaming wrench in ways that baffle Lance's mind and set Pidge's heart aflame.  
What really does her in, is when he starts the foot work: occasional chant, and lowers his center of gravity on bent knees and splayed hips. Graceful. Artful. Samoan heritage coming to light.  
Hunk spares a glance for Pidge. Seeing her enraptured and awed, brings a soft smile to him. On top of that, it encourages him further to push Lance.  
With a stomp-thrust-'huh!', Lance jumps back. He's not a complete idiot, he knows how hot flames are and how heavy that particular wrench is. If Hunk's hands are just slightly off, that piece of flaming metal will come right at him.

Hunk's heart is soaring. The more he chants and moves, the more he forgets that Lance is even there. Stomp,-stomp-stomp, turn, head check over his shoulder to Pidge, and then back the other direction. It's almost as if he can hear his grandfather's chants and float back to dancing beside his cousins and uncles. His eyes close, and he moves to a song that only he can hear.  
Pidge crosses her arms over her knees and just watches him. She may not recognize the mis-steps, but she does see how happy he is and how he is taken far away from war and repairs.

Lance has by now backed himself all the way up to the door, not daring to turn his back on Hunk. Not just because it's dangerous (and he has been trained not to turn your back on danger) but also because, he's never seen Hunk like this.  
Lance may have seen the big guy serine when he cooks, eats or even in the depths of creation, but this is on a whole other level. This is something almost spiritual. Something severely lacking in his own life.  
Is that why he is being such an asshole to these two, because they have a serenity that he does not?

He watches Pidge watching Hunk. No one has ever watched him like this, and Hunk has no idea how Pidge is watching him. What a loss (so he believes).  
A hand lays on his shoulder making him shriek and Hunk's wrench go flying towards him. Shiro reaches out grabbing it before any damage can be done.  
Hunk cringes, but Shiro just blows out the flames offering it back. "I think you dropped this."  
Lance sputters, "I-I coulda been KILLED!" Hunk flushes and Lance tries to charge, "You could have KILLED me with that stunt, Hunk!"  
Hunk is now terrified at the prospect but Shiro clamps his hand a little tighter to Lance's shoulder, "Makes you think twice about who you antagonize, doesn't it?"  
"WHAT?!" Lance shrieks again turning all his wrath from Hunk to Shiro.  
Pidge comes over to take the heavy wrench. It's almost too heavy for her, but she is able to bring it back to Hunk without hurting herself.  
"I SO can't believe you are taking his side in this, Shiro. Didn't you see what he just did!"  
But Shiro shakes his head lightly. "You know Lance, if we were back on Earth, I would have you court martial for harassment and it would be part of your permanent record."  
"Harassment?! Seriously?!" he is nearly squealing now.  
"Seriously," Pidge states. "I came to my superior officer to file a complaint of harassment. It may have started with pranks, Lance, but it has now become sexual harassment when I asked you to stop…and you didn't."  
Lance tries to turn on the charm trying to slick his way out of this, "Awww come on Pidge, it was just fun an games, nothing serious. After all, aren't we friends?"  
Pidge steps forward poking a finger at him, but not actually touching him. "It stopped being friendly when I told you it was offensive." Her hand drops, "What kind of a friend intentionally offends another? Not just me, but you offended my friend too making it difficult to work together. Would you like to know the real reason I'm in here repairing damage to Blue? It's because as a team we were not at our best, and Blue nearly lost a paw. We nearly got Shiro injured again because we weren't a team."  
She steps back and looks back to Shiro, "You go ahead and tell Shiro and Allura's child why their father was lost because you were just having fun and games. It was no big deal to tear down the moral of the team just to poke fun at chivalry and respect. I won't."  
With that, she turns back to her work. Hunk merely gives a curt nod to Lance and follows beside Pidge to yank out a locking pin, so she can pull the servo apart and repair the smashed electrical connector.

Lance is smart enough not to say anything and just walks out of the room. Shiro is actually a bit ashamed he didn't put a stop to this sooner. Out here so far from Earth rules and regulations is no reason to allow assholes to get away with things.

With Hunk and Pidge finally back to be a repair team, he tracks down Coran. "We need shore leave, desperately."  
"Shore leave?" Coran wrinkles his brow.  
"Yes. A break. Something else to see, explore, interact with. These guys are getting cabin fever and about to come unglued. Is there anything nearby?"  
After four rejections, Coran and Shiro finally agree on a place. It even has an actual shore! "Perfect!" Shiro claps Coran on the back.

~8~8~  
Coran and Allura take turns staying onboard the castle ship. Although the planet looks peaceful, there are some pretty heft bounties on their heads, likewise the ship containing lions of Voltron.  
Allura stays first. Coran gives the team a wealth of information as they take a shuttle to the main market place. With the help of Coran, Pidge has created a handheld device that will detect the safety of foods, herbs, perfumes, spices and such for each of the Paladins. Such as Keith's Galra genes can not handle certain spices, and Lance's food allergies, as well as Allura's change of body chemistry while pregnant.  
It was actually a horrific allergic reaction that Lance suffered one time that had Pidge coming up with this for Hunk in the kitchen. Coran was able to help add more to the database and so this is a the first time Pidge has been able to actually take it out to the market place.  
Pidge, Coran, and Hunk have a grand time looking for things to take back on board and add to the pantry.  
They break apart when Pidge finds a stall full of fabrics. It gives Hunk a chance to pull Coran over to a stall with body paint and explain the tattoo he wants. With Pidge's device, they are able to find an ink/paint that he can use for his Samoan tattoo. The part that really makes his day is that the vibrant yellow has a glowing aspect to it that is not harmful to him! And then with a few tools, he knows he can start on it right away.  
Traditionally he would have his family around him as someone else applies the tattoo, but he's out here on his own. Shiro promises to assist in anyway he can, earning him a crushing hug.

Later Coran takes certain packages back to the castle and relieving Allura from watch duty so she can spend time with her husband.  
The team all meet back at a spot on the beach with a hefty sampling of food. Lance and Keith also happen to have a surf boards with him.  
"You know how to use that?" Hunk asks them.  
Lance cocks a hip, "I'm Cuban and the best swimmer on the team. What, you know how to use one?"  
Hunk reties his headband with a swish of his long dark hair. "You do know you are speaking to a Samoan, right?"  
Keith is the one to pipe up the obvious though, "Yeah, but sure you don't get sea sick? I mean… in the ship?"  
"That wasn't me, that was his piloting," he points to Lance with a smirk, earning him an ugly scowl from Lance.  
"You know, Big Guy, those are fighting words. Time to put that to the test."  
A flurry of a shirt and a snatch of Keith's board, Hunk is already racing for the surf.  
"HEY! WAIT UP!" Lance squeaks trying to strip to his trunks as well.  
Hunk might be of more bulk, but he hits the water before Lance. Now it's just a matter of Hunk's stronger arms against Lance's leaner frame to hit the waves first.

Allura is taught about this Earth surfing sport while the others cheer on Lance and Hunk.  
Keith leans into Pidge, "I'm glad to see them getting along again. I was getting worried."  
Pidge gulps and nods. "I wasn't sure who was going to kill Lance first: me or Hunk."  
He chuckles, nudging her with his shoulder, "Or me." That earns him a curious look. "If that bastard stole my hair gel one more time, I was going to break his hair brush."  
Pidge sighs with great relief. "Oh thank goodness, it wasn't just Hunk and I he was torturing."  
"Hey…," Keith gives her hand a squeeze, "Is that really how you felt?"  
She nods, "And when you would chip in with him on teasing Hunk and I…it hurt a lot."  
Keith pulls her into a warm hug. "I'm so sorry, Pidge." He presses his mouth to her ear, "If he does that again, let me know. I'll help you punk him right back."  
She giggles leaning into him. "Thank you, Keith."

He pulls back to see that she is better, and then he stands up, holding a hand out to her. "Hey, I saw some absolutely wild shirts back there. They remind me of Hawaiian print, but they have all kinds of alien markings. What do you say we pick some out?"  
"Can we get a small one for the baby?"  
"I say we get more than one," and holds his elbow out to escort a lady to town. She loops her wrist through and smiles.  
Half way there, he asks softly, "I want to buy you a dress, Pidge. Would that be alright?"

Now sixteen, almost seventeen, the boys have known her as a girl longer than as a boy. In most ways, nothing has changed. They still raze and listen to her as much as they always did (or more like DIDN'T). That probably has more to do with her size and age rather than gender.  
So why the change now?  
She glances up to him. He is sincere, but also a bit nervous to her reaction. Her expression asks the 'why' that her mouth will not.  
Keith first glances back to the beach where Lance and Hunk are having a push and shove match to stall the other from catching the next wave. Then back to the friend on his arm.  
"I want to apologize for all the crap Lance and I have been giving you and Hunk. I want you and Hunk to go out on a real date. You know, get all gussied up and have a romantic night on the beach under the stars."  
Pidge bites her lip so lost for words.  
He soothes her hand still on his elbow, and lowers his voice even more. "I…I don't know if I could ever find someone I would be safe with. Certainly not after finding out I'm part Galra. I mean, who would want a half bred-"  
"Keith," it's so soft his heart hears her before his ears do. "If someone can't see the Keith we all do, they don't deserve your heart." Her smile slowly spreads out and she stretches to her tip toes to get into his face as much as she can. "And they can deal with me."  
"God you are a good friend," he shyly shakes his head to kept the pending tears from escaping.  
"Yeah, well, don't you forget it!" And gives him a good tickling in the ribs, which there is no defense against.  
When she stops, she pokes him lightly in the nose. "No frills and NOT pink. Only Matt gets to buy me pink."  
"Deal." It makes his heart soar that she let him do this for her, and also that she holds something very special just for her big brother. She hasn't given up hope on finding him. Her stubborn faith keeps them all alive.

~0~  
Just as the sun sinks to the far side, beginning it's signs of the end of day, Pidge and Keith return.  
Keith takes his seat next to Allura watching the boys playing a Frisbee game. Pidge walks up to them. Shiro notices her first, fumbling the grasp of the disk at his chest. Lance laughs then instantly stops when he sees what distracted Shiro.  
"Whoa," but is respectful enough not to say anything rude. "Nice duds, Pidge."  
She quirks a smile, but keeps walking towards her target, who is swallowing hard at the gorgeous woman before him. She's wearing a light weight green and blue batik fabric, straight to the ankles and a modest, but clearly tropical style bodice, held up by a loop of the fabric around her neck leaving her shoulders and arms bare. All her cute shoulder freckles can be seen. In the crook of one arm, she carries a billow of other fabric.  
"Hey," she smiles up to a bare chest Hunk. "I got you something." She holds out the yellow and orange batik fabric. "It reminded me of a lava lava."  
"Aw, Pidge….," the rest of the words stick in his throat. Not only is she beautiful in this sarong like dress, but she has brought him something of his own culture. In his lion's color no less.  
She holds it up and he beams even more. Vibrant streaks easily look like solar coronas and other cosmic entities.  
"It's beautiful! Thank you!" He looks at it a few more minutes, and then tucks it around his waist. Not as poofy as in some of the dances, but hanging long to show off the beautiful art work.  
"It looks good on you," Lance encourages, his own way of trying to apologize for being an idiot earlier. "You too, Pidge."  
"Thanks, Lance," Pidge accepts his apology.  
Shiro and Lance take the hint to walk away to give the couple their privacy.

"Hunk, could….could you teach me to dance?" She shyly asks.  
"Pidge, you are a fine dancer," he cups her elbow to tug her close enough dance with him.  
"What I meant… was….. Well when you did the flaming wrench dance at Lance, I wondered if there were any other traditional dances you knew and could teach me."  
Oh his cheeks warm. "I'm a bit rusty, but we could have some fun stumbling along together."  
"I'd like that," she blinks up to him. That's when he notices she has a flower tucked into her hair. She reaches for his hand, "Do I have it on the correct side?"  
His eyes twinkle, "What do you mean?"  
"I'm spoken for?"  
He takes the flower out and carefully tucks it into the correct side. Then he leans in. The kiss is so sweet and romantic. Tender but clearly states they are so much in love.

Allura leans her head to Shiro's shoulder. "They are so cute."  
"Yes, the are," Keith smiles.

The friends sit back and watch as Pidge stands back to Hunk's chest and lays her arms over his. As he gracefully moves his arms, hers follow. As his hips curl and shift, she tries to mimic and follow.  
Even when the sun sets, the twin moons reflecting off the ocean give enough back light to the couple dancing together. Romantic, chaste, and sweet.  
"I love you Hunk," she leans her head back to his chest and looks up.  
The side of his finger grazes her cheek to hold her chin as he leans in, "And I love you ever so much, Pidge."

As much as Keith adores Hunk and Pidge and is happy for them, as well as for Shiro and Allura…. His gut twists in guilt to his jealousy that they have found love.  
"I hate the universe," he mutters as he heads back to the castle.


	3. Tatau

Photosynthesis 3

by mamabot, 44 seconds ago

Pidge and Hunk decide to go through the tattooing process at the same time. In other words, he waits until she is eighteen and he is now twenty to start the process. With accents of black and filled in with a glowing shades of dark green, she has a lion's paw print on her shoulder and down over her scapula. It looks like Green has rested her paw on her pilot's shoulder. The tips of the pads are in the shape of catnip leaves, with black stem veins that look more like computer conduit than actually leaf veins.  
In the main pad, is a design yet to be determined, seeing how she does not want to finish the tattoo until Matt is back home with her (dead or alive). Hunk respects this as he does the application.

Hunk on the other hand, is on the last application of his tattoo. It's in a position he can not do alone and therefore, Shiro is helping him. Up just past his waist, down over his left hip and to just above his knee is an amazing scene of sun, solar, and even a wrench. The vibrant glowing yellows, oranges and black swirl through the outline of a massive paw print. It's almost as if Yellow has stepped on his hip, imprinting her mark on him, and then trimmed out in Samoan accents.  
He winces to a particular sensitive spot on the V-line of his front hip joint.  
Shiro stops, "Are you REALLY sure you want the tattoo to go there? I mean, no one will know if we don't complete it there." As a man himself, it makes him cringe to having a sharp point so close to the groin area. All those nerves and tendons get a bit connected there.  
Hunk chuffs, "I will know… and hopefully, one day Pidge will."  
Shiro takes this change of conversation as a chance to give them a break for a moment. He sets the applicator aside, applying the salve instead. "Pretty serious about her?"  
The big head nods as much as he can, laying on his back head resting on crossed wrists "Yeah."  
"Hunk?" Those root beer colored eyes turn to the married man, "What are you thinking?"

Hunk looks away, chewing on his lip. He promised Pidge he would keep it quiet, but it's not like his grandfather is here to talk things over with. Shiro, more than his grandfather, can also understand their circumstances better. "I want to marry her."  
"Does she know?"  
"We… have been talking about it more and more recently, but because we are so young, don't really want to hear the negative." He takes a deep breath and notices Shiro has not stopped watching his expression as he spills his heart. So he presses on. "Pidge and I are not stupid teens caught up on hormones."  
Shiro smiles, "If anything, you two are the most mature."  
That lets off another chuff and a twinkling smile, "Thanks." He flicks a finger to the bone-needle applicator asking Shiro to keep going as they talk.  
The older man does as asked, knowing that conversation will keep his mind off the sensitive skin he is poking and keep Hunk's mind off the pain with more pleasant thoughts.  
"God I love her. She's so smart," he closes his eyes with such a serine smile.  
Shiro laughs lights, knowing all too well what the love for a woman can do to a man. "Tell me, more about her."

Hunk and Shiro continue their conversation about their adoration and frustrations of their loves. Shiro can tell that Hunk is desperate to hold Pidge in his arms all night long and not feel any shame. Sure they have collapsed together in the Den or even the Lounge due to pure exhaustion, but this is different.  
Pidge and Hunk (he's pretty sure) have remained chaste in their physical interactions, but even that is coming to a head of frustration by the way Hunk cuts off certain trains of thoughts.  
It's very clear to Shiro, they need to marry.

"She wants to wait for Matt to return, but I don't think I can wait much longer. I need her next to me more and more." Hunk grunts as he rolls to his front so Shiro can finish up a last couple details on his rump. "Damn, maybe I am hormonal!"  
"No, you are a man in love." Shiro soothes the younger man's worries. "Hell, even Allura and I didn't date for two years before getting married! I don't know how you two have done it!"  
That raises Hunk's head over his shoulder, "Really?" Not the amount of time Shiro and Allura dated, but the fact Shiro is impressed by Hunk and Pidge's relationship.  
Shiro laughs shaking his head tapping out a particular solar flare on a meaty part. "Duh, yeah!" He sighs and looks up, "You got it bad, Hunk, if you can restrain from begging us to allow you to marry, which by the way you have my blessing."  
"And Allura?"  
"She's already picked out a dress for Pidge, be warned. You better find a ring soon."  
"Already have," he whispers under hot cheeks and he returns his chin to his folded arms. Shiro heard, but he and Hunk are silent as he finishes up the last of the 'tatau'.

~8~

Hunk takes a last dose of Allura's herbal pain killers and heads off to his bunk to sleep off the rest of the night. He might not be as strong as a traditional Samoan warrior, but then again, these are not exactly traditional paints or circumstances he is under either.  
Most of all, he knows he needs the pain killer to put him to sleep so he doesn't rush over to Pidge's quarters and beg her to marry him right now!  
No, it's best to sleep this off and come at it with a clear head in the morning.

~8~8~  
Morning starts off with a banging fist to his door though. Loosely wrapping Pidge's lava-lava gift around his tender waist, he stumbles to the door, "Hang on, I'm coming, I'm coming."  
He opens the door to seeing Pidge bouncing off her toes. Her excitement is too early for his groggy head and he has to lean on the door frame with one shoulder, other hand laid to hers, "Hold still or you are going to make me motion sick."  
Her eyes are all a light as she squeals, "MATT!- " and a whole bunch of gibberish that his poor unawake brain can't translate.  
His large palm moves from shoulder to cover her cute face lightly making her mumble and then stop. His eyes are still closed but he releases her face to one thick finger to her small lips. "Clothes and then coffee. 'Kay?"  
"Well hurry up then!" she says from behind his finger. "I'll make the coffee!" and shoots off down the hall.  
"What the hell was that squealing green blur?" Lance blinks from across the hall.  
Keith rubs both palms into his eyes, "I think that was Pidge. Who else would mention Matt this early in the morning?"  
"WE FOUND MATT!" And Shiro races down the hall between the still awaking Paladins.  
"Unless it's Shiro," Hunk yawns.  
Allura looks no less awake than them slogging down the hall with a drowsy Arthur sucking his thumb and clutching his winged lion to her shoulder. "If it's not really Matt, Shiro's going to die."  
That makes it clear there will be a briefing over coffee in the mess hall. "Watch out, Pidge is making coffee," Hunk turns back to his room to properly dress. They all groan and get dressed.

~8~  
In the mess hall, everyone is either in pajamas or other relaxed clothing picking over muffins and sipping coffee (doctored to their own tastes). Arthur remains cuddled to his mother trying to feed muffin to his lion.

Shiro, Pidge and Coran describe the information they have deciphered. A Galra prison ship sold it's slaves to this colony. It's a peaceful colony that allows slaves/prisoners to work off their time or freedom in helping the farming colony. With Matt's knowledge of soil samples, he could be an asset. It's rare to hear of humanoids wearing eyeglasses, even rarer to have this unknown Earthling species with auburn hair.  
"It HAS to be Matt!" Pidge jumps up and down.  
Normally this would be Hunk's place to state the obvious and it actually frustrates Keith that Hunk isn't piping up to state the obvious. He even tries with hand gestures to get him to say ANYTHING. But Hunk doesn't instead continuing to focus on his muffin.  
With a huff and roll of the eyes, Keith does pipe up. "And what if it's not? It could be a trap."  
Pidge snarls slamming a fist to the table, "Shut up Keith you don't know-" Hunk lowers his palm over Pidge's fist, but says nothing, still not looking up. She turns on Hunk, "You are not SERIOUSLY siding with him are you?" (no response) "Hunk?!"  
Instead of looking to her, he looks over to Shiro. The oldest one of them, he is just as emotionally attached to Matt's loss as Pidge. On top of that, he knows how delicate his relationship with Pidge is.  
Pidge tries to yank her hand out from Hunk's, but he holds it a bit more securely. She doesn't understand he is trying to be her rock to lean on, not one to break her hopes. "Pidge…," he whispers. It breaks his heart that she thinks he is hurting her.  
"No," she shakes her head. "I've been over the data thoroughly with Coran and Shiro. We've been compiling this information for months!"  
"Yes, we have, Pidge," Coran steps in. "You must leave a percentage open for us to be wrong, though."  
This time she does yank her hand out from under Hunk's and snarls at them all. "I'm going! With or without you."  
"I will go with you," Hunk is firm that she dare not leave without him.  
"I don't want someone with me who does not believe me."

Rarely have they ever seen Hunk mad at Pidge, but here they now see an inkling. Hunk rises up and narrows his gaze down on her. "I never said I did not believe your findings. You did not give me a chance to say ANYTHING or to even ask my OWN questions."  
Her face falls. She's hurt him.  
Hunk turns to the others. "I will be in the den in ten if anyone else wants to go with me." And silently walks away.

Shiro coughs to break the tension and bring them back on course. "I want to check out this section over here," he points to a map of a separate asteroid colony. "This also should be examined."  
Keith nods and looks to Coran, "Want to check it out with me?"  
Coran nods, "It would be a good place to also pick up some supplies. We should take a shuttle to that place, Keith. The others should be safe for the lions."  
Shiro nods. "Sounds like we have a plan then. Get dressed and head out."  
They all head out of the hall except Shiro and Allura. He notices that Pidge was the first to escape, and he really wanted to talk to her before the mission. Guess it will have to wait until they all return.

~8~  
The Yellow and Green Lion cockpits are heavily silent as they make their way toward the Alpha Agriculture Colony Site. Surrounding the large asteroid, is heavy blue mist.  
"This is weird," Hunk breaks the silence. "Is there anything in here?"  
"Um…," Pidge is reluctant to answer.  
"Piiiidge," he draws out her name as they break into the mist.  
"I- I don't know. I guess we are going to have to fly by instruments."  
"Okay," he breathes. This is the time to stay focused and not stress Pidge any more than she already is.

A few miles through the mist, someone calls out to a signal on their screen. Hunk has let her take lead on this, because it is her mission, and he takes position as guard. Even so, he is not fast enough for the giant airborne jellyfish that's hair and rope like tentacles instantly coil around the Green Lion, pulling it towards it's plasma-like mushroom of a body.  
Pidge calls out as the lion is electrically shocked, cutting out her com-systems.  
Hunk is swift to react. First he fires; only making the jellyfish crimp and shock tighter.  
"Hang on!" he calls having no idea if she can hear him or not. He punches Yellow's thrusters, and pitches the head down. At full ramming speed, he slams into Green's side. It breaks a few tentacle holds, but not enough. The blow to the jellyfish's prey causes it to activate even more tentacles. If he doesn't knock her loose, Pidge could be electrocuted from the inside out.  
He pulls back, circling to gather speed, but keep the creature from pulling Green out of his visual sight. With another activation of thrusters, he slams her lion from the rump. It breaks many tentacle holds from Green. They change their attack to Yellow, but Yellow is stronger.  
He lets more of them come to him in order to let hers go. As soon as Green is free, he rolls Yellow to claws up. Yellow claws and slices at the creature so that it won't be able to chase him , breaking tentacles from the main body.  
Green falls out of his visual sight as he shakes the damaged tentacles away. He can pick up Green on his scanners, but Pidge doesn't reply to his coms. "Come on, Girl, chase them," he praises and pleads with his lion.

As Green tumbles and falls through the mist, Pidge knows how Hunk feels under Lance's piloting. She tries as hard as she can to regain control. "You're shorted out, Greenie. Please let me have manual control."  
Holding tight to the controls, she puts her focus to the analog overrides. It's a lot harder to pull the controls without powered control to the hydraulic systems. "This would be easier if I was stronger," she growls and pulls as hard as she can.

Yellow races down, snapping and missing several times before finally catching the last section of Green's tail. With the heavier lion pulling back, he is able to stop her tumbling and churning, but she is still speeding towards the ground. Communications has still not returned.  
As the ground races towards them, Green budges just a little. It's enough that when Green touches the ground, the paw instantly folds, sending her back into a tumbling roll across the ground, dislodging from Yellow's maw.  
"Damnit!" Hunk grunts maintaining control of his own lion to land it safely. There has to be at least one of them who can fly out for help.

As Green crashes horrifically, it dislodges the pod capsule, but not enough to completely release it from the lion-ship. It does open enough for her to clamored out.  
Yellow lands a safe distance away, and then lopes over to Green's side, tearing up the ground in the process. Swiftly her mouth drops and Hunk races out as fast as his huge frame will allow him.  
"Pidge! Pidge, answer me!" He cries out.

Pidge can hear him, but not through the com therefore it's muffled. Stumbling out of the damaged pod, she sinks to the ground by an ear of her lion, pulling her helmet off.  
By the time Hunk gets there, sliding on a knee to her side, her forehead is resting on her knees.  
"Pidge! Are you injured?" He clamps his hands to her shoulders.  
"Only my pride," she mumbles into the knees.  
"Thank goodness," he sinks further down pressing his own forehead to her crown. "That scared me."  
"I'm sorry," she once again mumbles. He knows she is upset about not having all the vital information they needed before coming here.  
"I don't care," he mumbles back. He lifts her chin, and smiles. "Pidge, just look at me." Slowly she opens her watery chocolate brown eyes. "Hey, there you are, my beautiful smart lady."  
She smiles weakly.

He's known his girlfriend long enough to know there is a special balance between comfort and codling for her. She's a strong proud lady who has had to prove herself time and time again over her size, age, gender, occupation, and even species. Its actually one of her most attractive features to him.  
Like wise, his respect for all she has fought and earned, is attractive to her. Hunk new belittles her.  
She leans in to press her forehead back to his.

He gives them both a few more moments to catch their breath, before he nudges them into action. "Did your data pad survive so we can check out your plan?"  
"You still want to go look? What about Green?" She pats the green head.  
"Look, we came all this way, we mind as well follow through with the mission." He rises up, holding a hand out to give her help up. "Can't let Greenie get hurt for nothing. Now, which direction should be go?"

Pidge doesn't take his hand right away. Should she follow him to continue the mission, or should she return back to the safety of the castle? Are there more foolish things she over looked in this mission, blinded by familial need?  
"What about those jellyfish things? Do you think they will come after us down here and attack the lions again? You're the xeno-specialist."  
He leaves his hand out while rubbing the back of his neck and shrugging. "I don't know." Then giving her a lopsided grin, asks, "Want to find out together?" He knows she does.  
Her pressed lips, and scowl does not stop her from slapping her hand hard to his open one. With a tug and a chuckle, they are walking hand in hand towards the point on her data pad.


End file.
